Tag Archives: clare hurling

Brian Lohan has introduced ten new players to the Clare hurling squad for 2023 and points to the ambition among the new recruits and the established stars as they bid to take county seniors to the next level and win trophies, writes Joe Ó Muircheartaigh It’s hard to believe that it’s now a quarter of a century since one of the greatest examples of the real difference between league and championship was provided by a Clare team that had current manager Brian Lohan as a totem. It was 1998, when the great team that Ger Loughnane built rocked down to Semple Stadium for a joust with Cork in the National League semi-final on the first Sunday in May. Summertime had just kicked in and Clare had their chance to book a final place against Waterford. It was 20 years since the team that Ger himself was part of won the league for the second successive year — why not mark …

Nine Clare players helped UL to secure All-Ireland Freshers 1 Hurling League honours with a 1-19 to 0-13 final victory over DCU in Clonad, Laois on Tuesday evening. The Banner’s sizeable representation dominated the spinal positions for Joe McGrath’s side who will hope to emulate this achievement for the championship version in the new year. Pictured from left to right are: Sean Rynne (Inagh-Kilnamona), John Conneally (Clooney-Quin), Rory O’Connell (Clarecastle), Ian McNamara (Killanena) (Captain), Ronan O’Connor (Feakle), Keith Smyth (Killanena), Colm Cleary (O’Callaghan’s Mills) and Tony Leyden (Tulla). Gearoid Sheehy (Ogonnelloe) was missing due to illness.

Sixmilebridge’s Junior B hurlers embark on a new mission as they aim to come through a Munster quarter final against Kerry’s St. Brendan’s Ardfert this Sunday (throw in 12.30pm). Chaplin admits this competition, hosted by Killeedy GAA club, offers Sixmilebridge’s squad a unique opportunity to sample a provincial competition; one he hopes his squad will embrace. “It’s bonus territory but at the same time when you are in something you want to go far. Lads might not get to compete in Munster again. With Intermediate or Junior A you can’t enter a second team in those competitions. “Even when we won the final we knew before leaving that day of this tournament. “Scariff reached the Munster final last year and we put it to the lads that the opportunity was there if we put our shoulder to the wheel. We are representing our club in Munster so it’s a fantastic opportunity.” With Sixmilebridge fielding four teams at adult level, the …

PAT HENCHY was a great student of hurling and there was nothing he liked better than following the fortunes of Clare when they scaled the heights in big championship games at Munster or All-Ireland level. He was the same in his support of Cuala — his adopted club in Dublin that won Leinster and All-Ireland titles in 2017 and ’18 as Con O’Callaghan marked himself down as the best dual star in the land. Clare and Cuala in full flow — there was nothing like it for Pat as he studied, analyzed, mused and marvelled about the qualities of the modern game in terms of skill, speed and the confidence, swagger and derring do in players like Tony Kelly, Con O’Callaghan and others at the top of their game. His great friend of Clare hurling stock, Leo McGough, who comes from Carlow via Inagh, told a great story about him ahead of the 2013 All-Ireland replay when he picked the …

THERE was huge frustration among Clare hurling fans this week, as people seeking to purchase tickets for Munster championship games faced significant difficulties. With Covid restrictions now relaxed pre-championship anticipation is at its highest in a few years and with thousands of people all going online simultaneously, Ticketmaster was hit with technical issues meaning fans couldn’t make their purchases for a period of time. Tickets were also available from Centra and SuperValu stores and some of these outlets also saw huge demand and long queues for tickets. Clare’s first two games are against Tipperary and Cork, both in Thurles, and with Semple Stadium being as large as it is, there was little concern about any potential sell out there. Clare’s final game is against Waterford and it had been notified in advance that these tickets would only be available from county boards at a later date. The really problematic fixture, however, is Clare versus Limerick, which is due to be …

Gort Community School held its deferred 25 years of GAA celebration event recently. Ivan Smyth spoke to Clare senior hurler Patrick O’Connor about his fond memories in the school and his hopes for the county side. GORT Community School recently celebrated the many excellent hurlers and camogie players that have come through the doors of the school, since it opened on September 4, 1995, the day after Clare beat Offaly to be crowned All Ireland champions. The Transition Year students hosted the event with numerous awards handed out. Also on the night the 25th Anniversary All-Star Hurling and Camogie Teams compromising of past students from the school was announced. The hurling team saw two Clare men make the cut. Tubber’s Ronan Taaffe was named in goal while Patrick O’Connor was selected at wing back. Aidan Harte, who was part of the St. Joseph’s Tulla management team, was also named on the team. Other notable names included Galway hurlers Shane Cooney, …

Munster GAA has said it is open to increasing capacity for Sunday’s Munster Hurling Cup match between Clare and Limerick if restrictions are lifted in time. Ed Donnelly, communications manager for Munster GAA, told The Clare Champion,  “We’re not going to cap attendance at 5,000 if we’re allowed to have more but it really depends on when we find out and what the specifics are. “The key word is ‘if’, at the moment, as it is all speculation. We have no direct line into Nphet or the government, no more than anyone else,” said Mr Donnelly. “In the event that restrictions are lifted, hopefully this evening, and they take effect ahead of Sunday’s game then we can put plans in place to increase the capacity for Sunday. “The key things are a) is it going to happen and b) if it does happen, what are we talking? Are we talking 6,000 people, 10,000, is it unlimited?” Hurling fans who missed out on the …

TICKETS for the Munster Hurling Cup final between Clare and Limerick at 2pm in Cusack Park Ennis are set to be released at 10am this Wednesday. Ticket Prices are General Admission €10, Under 16s €5 and they can be bought at https://www.universe.com/users/munster-gaa-TR8ZGN Currently government guidelines permit a maximum of 5,000 patrons to attend outdoor sporting events. Whether the government’s planned announcement on Friday has any effect on the numbers allowed to attend Sunday’s game remains to be seen. The result will be settled on the day, with penalties if required after normal time.